Inside Baseball

By JOE STEVENSON – joestevenson@shawmedia.com

Athlete of the Week

Ben Murray

Jacobs, jr.

Murray was 8 for 16 last week to help the Golden Eagles go 4-1 in their five games.

Murray had a pair of 3 for 4 games in victories over Palatine (10-4) and Prospect (9-4). The left-handed hitting first baseman had a double and triple against Palatine, and a double and two RBIs against Prospect.

Murray also had two 1 for 3 games in wins over Conant (12-6) and Johnsburg (6-3).

Noteworthy

Klendworth on fire: Prairie Ridge leadoff man Bryan Klendworth has been one of the area’s hottest players for the season. Klendworth was 4 for 4 with a two-run homer in Monday’s 6-3 loss at Evanston.

Klendworth is hitting .625 with four home runs, 12 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. He also has three doubles and two triples.

Klendworth, who is the Wolves’ fastest player, will play at NAIA Olivet Nazarene next season.

Tough conference: The Fox Valley Conference gained a reputation through the last decade as one of the state’s best leagues. The teams in the FVC Valley Division have upheld that so far this season with a combined 45-10 record heading into the week.

Crystal Lake South was unbeaten, while Prairie Ridge and Jacobs each had one loss. McHenry, at 6-4, had the worst record of the Valley teams.

All for the team: Johnsburg junior Collin Ridout threw 131 pitches over 91/3 innings Thursday in the Skyhawks’ 3-1 10-inning loss to Dundee-Crown.

Johnsburg coach Sam Lesniak wrestled with taking Ridout out of the game as his pitch count increased, but Ridout was not hearing it. He said he did not care if he got hurt, he wanted to get the win for the team.

“I’m competitive, I didn’t want to lose,” Ridout said. “Everything I do out there is for these guys. I could care less how I do, I do it for them.”

Lesniak was thinking about pulling Ridout in the last three innings, but he still was throwing well in a scoreless tie.

“What a gutsy performance by Collin,” Lesniak said. “What a courageous effort. He didn’t let me take him out of the game.”

Nice tribute: Crystal Lake South has a sign on its right-center field fence and wears patches on the right sleeve in memory of former Gators outfielder Anthony Pauls, an Illinois student who died in October after being hit by a car while walking home. Urbana police arrested the driver, who was charged with driving under the influence.

Pauls played football and baseball for the Gators and was a senior at Illinois. The Gators have two bats, with a ball and “Anthony Pauls 23” on the patches. The sign on the fence also reads: “Anthony Pauls 23.”

This week’s top games

Huntley at Hampshire

4:30 p.m. today

Huntley has been banging the ball all over parks and is off to an 8-0 start. Hampshire is 3-1.

Grayslake Central at Dundee-Crown, 4:30 p.m. today

D-C is off to a 4-2 start and the Rams (5-4) have been the FVC Fox Division’s best team over the last five seasons.

CL Central at McHenry

4:30 p.m. Thursday,
at Petersen Park

Central wants to be a threat in the FVC Fox and lost its first two FVC crossover games. McHenry was off to a 6-4 start and is 1-1 in the FVC Valley.

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